Refrigerated cabinet



March 10, 1964 A, RlcHMAM 3,123,988

REFRIGERATED CABINET Filed Jan. 11. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,123,988 REFRIGERATED CABINET Harry A. Richman, 737 N. Mansfield Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 165,566 Claims. (Cl. 62-418) This invention relates to refrigerated cabinets, and has particular reference to refrigerated display cabinets for food items incorporating force-d air circulation whlch permits an upright construction without the employment of doors.

Various forms of upright refrigerated cabinets for use in grocery stores and the like and which afford unimpeded front `access have been proposed. See for example the refrigerated cabinets described in U.S. Patents 2,907,186 and 2,962,875.

The object of the present invention is to provide a more eicient and versatile, hence a more useful, refrigerated cabinet construction which is especially suitable -for converting existing conventional refrigeration installations in supermarkets and the like.

In accordance with this objective, the refri-gerated cabinet of the present invention comprises a plurality of vertical, hollow wall sections having perforate walls which face one another, with horizontal shelves supported between them. a and second end sections and at least one center section are supported in spaced lside-by-side relationship. The wall sections define enclosed air chambers each` having an yair access way vformed therein. 4Each end section has a vertical, substantially uniformly perforate wall facing the center section. The center section has `a vertical substantially uniformly perforate wall on each side thereof facing the perforate Walls of the rst and second end sections respectively. A plurality of horizontal shelves extend between the perforate walls of the center Vand en-d sections, and means are included for adjusting the vertical positions of the shelves. `Combined with this structure is means communicating with said air accessways `for circulating refrigerated air between the perforate walls of the center and end sections.

A clearer understanding ofthe construction of the refrigerated cabinets in accordance with the present invention is had from the follow-ing detailed -description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a typical embodiment of the refrigerated cabinet of the present invention as might be `installed in a supermarket;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially cut away', of a iIn one embodiment of the invention, first typical center wall section of the refrigerated cabinet of Y FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the detail of an adjustable shelf; and,

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the refrigerated cabinet construction of the present invention. e

Referring now to the drawings, and especially to FIG. l, there is illustrated a typical supermarket installation in accordance with the present invention. The supermarket floor 10 is indicated, as well as an interior wall 12. The particular refrigeration installation depicts the place where milk, eggs and butterare usually displayed, and

forms the front of a conventional refrigerated storage room 14. The display shelves are loa-ded from the back and merchandise is removed by customers lfrom the front. It will be noted that there are no glass doors, as is customary for conventional type installations. Hence, unimpeded front access is provided. This is permitted by 3,123,988 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 2 the Iforced circulation of refrigerated air between the walls of the cabinet construction.

First and second hollow wall end sections 15, 16 are Vsupported vertically between top and bottom walls 17, 118

section 1'6 has an air access way 28, and the respective rst and second air chambers of the center sections 20, 22 and 24 have air access ways 30', 312; and 34, 36; and 38, |40, respectively. v

The lirst and second end wall sections 15, 16 each have a vertical, substantially uniformly perforate wall 42, -44 facing the center sections. The respective rst and second air chambers of each center wall section `20, 22, 24 each have substantially uniformly perforate walls 46, 48; and 50, 52; and 54, 56, respectively.

A plurality of horizontal shelves, such as those shown ltypically at 58, 60, 62, extend between the perforate walls of the center andiend sections, and between the perforate walls of the adjacent center sect-ions. The horizontal shelves arein the form of heavy wire gratings of conventional construction. They extend substantially to the front of the display cabinet to provide Ifull depth shelves. They are adjustably supported upon conventional straps, typically shown at `64, 66, 68, 70 mounted on the perforate walls of the center and end sections.

An inlet duct 72 mounted atop the Wall sections communicates with the air access way 26 of the iirst end section 15, and with the air access ways 32, 36, 40 of the respective second air Vchambers of the center sections 20, 22, 24.` This duct is supplied with refrigerated air Ifrom the refrigerated room 14 by means of a blower 74 which communicates with the inlet duct 72 via a connecting duct 76. An outlet duct 78 is disposed parallel to the inlet duct 72, also atop the wall sections and communicates with the air access ways 30, 34, 38 of the first air chambers of the respective center sections 20, 22, 24 and with the air access Way 28 of the second end section 16.

Airis pulled `from the fwall sections through the outlet 'room 14. By this construction, a means is provided Awhich communicates with the air access ways of the wall sections for circulating refrigerated air between the perforate walls of the center end sections. The air flow is indicated by arrows.

:Referring now to FIG. 2, the structure of a typical wall section, chosen as center section 22 of FIG. 1, is seen in greater detail. First and second abutting aii' chambers 84, 86 are defined by perforate outer walls 50, 52, -a central partition wall 88, front and rear end walls 90, 92, and top and bottom walls 17, 1-8. The wall sections `are of conventional sheet metal construction. A plurality of spacers, shown typically at 94, 9S, separate the perforate walls 50, 52 from the partition wal'l 88 at intervals, so as to impart rigidity to the section and maintain the spacing. The top wall 17 of the cabinet is formed in sections 17A, 17B, which have cut-out portions to acthe louvers by conventional mechanical linkage (not shown). `In this manner, the air access way of each air chamber may be adjusted as to `its degree of opening so as to control the ffow of air, and balance the fiow among the sections.

Also with reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the wall 50 is substantially uniformly perforate. The many small holes formed therein are spaced in a fairly uniform fashion throughout the extent of the wall. Inasmuch as the air access way 34 is located at the top corner of the air chamber 84 and some pressure drop along the chamber is to be expected, a more uniform flow of air through all parts of the perforate wall 50 is achieved by slightly varying the degree of perforation of the wall so that the wall becomes more perforate as distance from the access way 34 increases. As shown, this is achieved by making the holes per unit area more numerous, although it may also be achieved by making the holes slightly larger, as distance from the access way increases.

The structure of the end wall sections 15, 16 is completely analogous to that described above with respect to the center wall section, bearing in mind that each end wall section defines a single air chamber. Typically, the first end wall section 15 (FIG. 1) has a perforate wall 42 on one side thereof and a solid wall 112 on the opposite side thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, each perforate wall has a pair of conventional shelf straps attached thereto; for example, straps 66, 114 on wall 50. Thus opposing perforate walls provide four straps which cooperate to support shelves and permit adjustment of their vertical positions.

Referring to FIG. 3, thetypical detail of a shelf strap 116 and the fitting of a perforate shelf 118 thereon is illustrated in perspective. The strap 116 is vertical and has a plurality of slots 120 spaced along it. Engageable with any of the slots 120 in the strap are shelf holding members 122, 124. The shelf includes a large wire 126 on its perimeter which engages over an upturned tab 128 of :the shelf holding member. Hence, the vertical position of the shelves may be adjusted at will.

Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated schematically. In this embodiment, the center wall sections 130, 132 are not divided into two air chambers; rather, each defines a single air chamber, with perforate walls 134, 136 and 138, 140 on both sides thereof, respectively. First and second end wall sections 142, 144 are the same as in FIG. 1, each having a single perforate wall 146, 148, respectively. By means of a blower 149 air is forced through a refrigeration unit 150 and through a connecting duct system 152 into one center section 132 and end section 142. Air is withdrawn from the other center section 130 and end section 144 through a second duct system 154 connecting with the blower. This construction and ducting arrangement avoids the necessity for a double air chamber in center sections.

By means of the refrigerated cabinet construction of the invention, a substantially uniform iow of refrigerated air in a horizontal fashion between vertical perforate walls is achieved. The perforate walls are substantially uniformly perforate in order to accommodate any desired adjustment of the vertical position of the shelves as may be desired to accommodate food items of various sizes. Also, by means of this construction, air circulation in and around food items is improved, without losing refrigeration as the result of the upright construction lacking front access doors.

I claim:

1. A refrigerated cabinet comprising a plurality of vertical hollow wall sections including first and second end sections and at least one center section supported in spaced side-by-side relationship, said wall sections defining air chambers each having an air access way formed therein, each end section having a vertical substantially uniformly perforate wall facing the center section, the center section having a vertical substantially uniformly perforate wall on each side thereof facing the perforate walls of the first and second end sections respectively, a plurality of horizontal shelves extending between the perforate walls of the center and end sections, means for adjustably fixing the vertical position of said shelves along said perforate walls, and means communicating with said air access ways for circulating refrigerated air between the perforate walls of the center and end sections.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially uniform perforate walls are less perforate adjacent the air access opening and are increasingly perforate with distance from said air acccess opening, so as to provide for a uniform air flow.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shelves are perforate, to facilitate air circulation and extend substantially to the front of the refrigerated cabinet.

4. A refrigerated cabinet comprising a plurality of substantially coextensive hollow wall sections including first and second end sections and at least one center section, means supporting said sections vertically in spaced sideby-side relationship, said end sections each defining an air chamber and having an air access way formed therein and also having a substantially uniform perforate wall facing the center section, the center section defining abutting first and second air chambers, the first and second abutting air chambers being disposed in coextensive sideby-side relationship with one another and with the end sections and each having an air access way formed therein, the first of said abutting air chambers having a vertical substantially uniform perforate wall facing the perforate wall of the first end section, the second of said abutting air chambers having a vertical substantially uniform perforate wall facing the perforate wall of the second end section, a plurality of full depth horizontal shelves extending between the perforate walls of the center and end sections, means for adjustably fixing the vertical position of said shelves along said perforate walls, and means communicating with said air access ways for circulating refrigerated air between the perforate walls of said center and end sections.

5. A refrigerated cabinet comprising a plurality of vertical hollow wall sections supported in spaced side-byside relationship, each wall section having a substantially uniformly perforate wall facing the wall sections adjacent thereto, a plurality of horizontal shelves supported between adjacent perforate walls, and means selectively communicating with said hollow wall sections for circulating refrigerated air between pairs of facing perforate walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,188 Burritt May 3l, 1921 2,627,728 Levin Feb. l0, 1953 2,640,330 Johnson June 2, 1953 2,690,650 Pichler Oct. 5, 1954 2,693,083 Teeter Nov. 2, 1954 2,708,349 Kuhn May 17, 1955 2,961,845 Kennedy Nov. 23, 1960 2,984,085 Rainwater May 16, 1961 3,009,333 Rainwater Nov. 21, 1961 3,063,255 Fanick et al Nov. 12, 1962 

5. A REFRIGERATED CABINET COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL HOLLOW WALL SECTIONS SUPPORTED IN SPACED SIDE-BYSIDE RELATIONSHIP, EACH WALL SECTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY PERFORATE WALL FACING THE WALL SECTIONS ADJACENT THERETO, A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL SHELVES SUPPORTED BETWEEN ADJACENT PERFORATE WALLS, AND MEANS SELECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HOLLOW WALL SECTIONS FOR CIRCULATING REFRIGERATED AIR BETWEEN PAIRS OF FACING PERFORATE WALLS. 